I'm vacuuming the house as I type.

[davester]

We just got an iRobot Roomba and set it loose about an hour ago. It is absolutely fascinating to watch it navigate itself around rooms, furniture, oriental rugs, hardwood floors, etc. and it even has a "cliff sensor" so that it stops and turns around rather than hurtling over the stairs. Even though the house was vacuumed just a week ago the Roomba has picked up an amazing amount of dirt and pet hair and I've had to empty it once already since it roams in places where the regular vacuum doesn't go (way under beds and large pieces of furniture). It doesn't hold that much but supposedly after a few days of "Roombaing" the amount of dirt it has to pick up drops off significantly. It's got a built in scheduler too so that it can clean while we're not here. So far the dog is mildly interested but jumps out of its way when it turns and comes towards him while the cat took one look and bolted for the exit.

Here are a couple of shots of it cruising around the house.

[mrthuse]

I had a poetry professor in college that built an ersatz typewriter platform that slung around him so he could compose and walk at the same time. I believe gum chewing was optional.

[kj4btkljv]

How much are these things? My wife is no good at vacuuming anymore.

Jeff

[davester]

This one was $245 for the 550 model. The suggested retail is much higher...you need to hunt around. This particular model is generally listed as the "500 series" on amazon but in the specs it shows that it is the 550, which is a good model to have since it has built in scheduling and two "lighthouses" which are virtual walls that you can use to block off rooms with.

[cbelt3]

[yeoman]

What's his name? Ours is Sagie and usually ignores us and goes about his business. Thinking maybe we need to get him a mate.

[davester]

We haven't decided yet. I was thinking "Rummy" because it's a faceless automaton with the brain of a cockroach and is in favor of search-and-destroy and carpet bombing.

[space-time]

if you were to get a vibrator instead of an Roomba, the thread would be called...

[blooz]

How does it do on the wood floors?
I'd like one but my wide board floors are rather uneven, given the age of the house.
I wonder if it would get hung up on smll elevation changes.

Malibu would hate it but cats and vacuum cleaners are natural enemies.

[AlphaDog]

Blooz - I think a Roomba would work fine, even where the flooring is uneven. Mine doesn't have any trouble making the switch between a carpeted floor and a hard surface area by an outside door, nor does it mind climbing up and down off of a chair mat that's over some carpet. It doesn't fall off the step into the family room either. It's a smart little devil.